


Exile

by Primarina (PastelBrachypelma)



Series: In Which the Author Ignores Sly 4 Completely [2]
Category: Sly Cooper (Video Games)
Genre: Ableism, Angst, F/M, M/M, Police Brutality, Prison Escape, Rescue, Rescue Missions, Sly 4, murray is gay and we love that for him, penelope isn’t evil she’s just a bad person, prison break - Freeform, song: exile by Taylor swift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27407551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelBrachypelma/pseuds/Primarina
Summary: “I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending.”
Relationships: Bentley/Penelope, Murray/Original Characters, Sly Cooper/Carmelita Fox
Series: In Which the Author Ignores Sly 4 Completely [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1992913
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Everything was happening so fast, and it was quickly fraying Selena’s nerves. 

Inspector Chad Rover had arrived at their home and arrested her father for being Sly Cooper, master thief. Her mother had called her, telling her to get her brother and go somewhere safe, that she would pick them up. Selena left the college campus with Carson by her side, wondering what was going on and why. 

Of course she knew her father had been hiding under Interpol’s nose for a long time. He’d kept up the charade as long as she and Carson had been alive! She couldn’t imagine what had changed. 

And then...it hit her. 

Carson was staring at his phone, waiting for their mom to call them. He had his soccer gear in a duffel bag with him, slung over one shoulder, and he was itching at the side of his binder. 

Selena fell onto the pavement, groaning as she put her head in her hands. “It’s my fault,” she mumbled. 

“What?” Carson looked up, twitching his tail. “What’s your fault, Nina?”

“That dad’s in jail, that he and mom and Uncle Bentley and Uncle Murray aren’t safe anymore. I…” Selena began to tremble. “M-my journal...I...I lost it the other day, when Bruce tried to ask me out in the library…! It must’ve fallen outta my bag...he must’ve looked inside and told his dad…” She sobbed once. “It’s all my fault! I was writing out my entry for the Thievius Raccoonus!”

Carson immediately sat down beside her and pulled her in for a hug. “It’s okay, Selena,” he said softly, rubbing her back soothingly. “He shouldn’t have read your journal. That was mean of him.”

“But...I shouldn’t have been writing about our secret lives!” Selena wailed. “And now dad’s in jail, and…!”

“And you think he’s gonna stay there?” Carson asked, snorting. “With Uncle Bentley on the case? C’mon.”

Selena sniffled, sitting away from Carson and taking a drink from his water bottle. “I...I guess you’re right. But...what happens now?”

“I dunno,” Carson admitted, glancing up as their mother’s car squealed against the curb, “but I think we’re about to find out.”

~

“Here’s the plan,” Bentley’s voice sounded in his head. “If you get found out, don’t try to run away. Let yourself get arrested. That will buy your family time to get anything they need from your house and clear out. We’ll break you out later, once we’re ready to run. They’ll most likely keep you in a cell on-site until they transport you to the courthouse.”

And so when the police sirens sounded outside his home while he was doing the laundry, Sly didn’t try to run. With nerves coursing through his veins, he came out with his hands up, staring down the terrifying barrels of many guns who would’ve been happy to shoot him on sight if he even so much as twitched his tail. 

As Inspector Rover slammed him hard onto the hood of a cop car, nearly wrenching his arms out of his sockets in his excitement to arrest him, Sly looked straight at the hidden security camera by the front door and silently begged that Bentley was watching. 

~

“Dad! Dad!” 

Bentley woke up with a start to his daughter banging on the door. “Ken?” He asked, pulling himself into his wheelchair as quickly as he could. “Ken? Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He opened the door to find his daughter crying, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Kennedy,” Bentley placed a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Uncle Sly,” Kennedy replied shakily. “The police...they arrested him!”

Bentley felt like ice had been poured into his shell. “Oh shit. When?”

“Just now,” Kennedy wheeled her chair back so that Bentley could get through. “I saw it on the main cam from my room.”

“I’ve never been more thankful for the little games you play with Selena,” Bentley said gravely but with a note of pride in his voice as he booted up his computer in the office adjacent to the living room. 

A moment later, a mug of coffee sat beside his wrist. Bentley drank deeply, his eyes never leaving the screen. “Thank you, Kennedy.”

“No problem. Whatchya doin?”

“Accessing Interpol’s police reports. They’re going to make sure they arrest Sly by the books, otherwise their case will fall apart in court. And they know it.”

“Should I text Selena and tell her?”

“No, absolutely not,” Bentley turned to look sharply at his daughter. “Your Aunt Carmelita knows what to do in this situation. You don’t need to freak out Selena more.”

“But…!”

“Did you take your meds, Ken?”

“I forgot.”

“Go and take them, and make sure you eat something,” Bentley turned back to the computer, “then call your sister and tell her to come home. We need to pack our bags for phase 2.”

“Phase 2?” Kennedy cocked her head. “What…?”

“I’ll explain later. Just go, please.” Bentley closed the door to his office with a slam. It was hard to hide how much his heart was pumping, how his mind was flying back into traumatic memories of being alone in the Indian jungle, separated from his friends. He didn’t want to fall apart in front of Kennedy and Tesla. Tesla had seen enough of that over the years after Penelope left. 

He still thought often about the heartbreaking note she left him about being unable to deal with two disabled people on the run. It was as if, even after all those years, all she saw was his wheelchair. It made him equal parts sad and angry, but that was behind him, now. 

“She doesn’t feel like my daughter,” the note had said. Bentley hated Penelope for that. He would have dealt with Penelope leaving because of him. But to hate your own child…

Bentley pulled his cell phone from a pocket on his wheelchair. “Murray?” He announced when the call connected. “It’s Sly. We need to bust him out of jail.”

~

“Babe, can you tell me what’s going on?” Tom begged, placing a clawed hand against Murray’s chest. “Please?”

Murray shook his head, sighing. “The less you know, the better. Just in case.” He pulled away from Tom, getting into his gloves and boots. “You and Ursie need to grab the RV and head to the Safe House. We’re all going to reconvene there.” He smiled sadly, taking Tom’s face between his large palms. “I love you,” he said, kissing the cat tenderly. 

Tom chuckled nervously. “Don’t treat this like a goodbye, Murray. Just don’t.” He purred, rubbing his forehead against Murray’s. “We’ll see each other again. Even if I have to bust you out myself!”

Murray embraced him. “I’ll hold you to that, Tom.” 

Ursie, eavesdropping from the next room, didn’t like the sound of that. She texted her friends, hoping she’d get a response. 

What was going on? 

~

Sly sat curled up in the darkest corner of the cell on the suspended bed, pressing a bloody tissue against his split lip. 

“Don’t talk to the cops,” Carmelita had told him once. “They’re not your friends, no matter how much they might say otherwise. Just ask for a lawyer. Don’t say anything else.” 

Of course, these were things anyone on the other side of the law should know, but it was a good reminder. Especially because not all cops were like Carmelita. And Sly had worked under Chad Rover personally, so he was well aware of how unscrupulous his morals were. 

“Where is the rest of your gang located?” Rover had growled, teeth white in a broad snarl.

“I’d like a lawyer, please,” Sly has responded. 

“Shut up,” Rover reeled back and punched him in the gut, making Sly gasp audibly. He was cuffed at the ankles and wrists, so he couldn’t really do much to defend himself. “Filth like you don’t deserve lawyers. I’ll ask you again. Where are you hiding the Cooper Clan wealth?”

“No comment.”

One of the female sergeants, who he vaguely recognized as someone who had heavily flirted with him in the days before he and Carmelita were official. He’d turned her down as politely as he could, but it seemed as though she never got over him. The ring on her finger caught against his lip and he tasted blood. 

“Did Inspector Fox know you had retained your memories?”

“No comment.”

This time, it was a swift kick to his calves, and Sly cried out in pain. 

“Is your daughter, Selena Cooper-Fox, in possession of the Thievius Raccoonus?”

“No comment.”

This time, Rover punched him hard enough that he saw stars. Ouch. 

“Were you planning a heist?”

“Let the record show,” Sly began, “I have asked for a lawyer multiple times and have been denied.”

Rover grinned. “You’re a fool if you think the tape’s recording right now.” His first was the last thing Sly remembered before he woke up in this cell, presumably hours later, sore and hungry and with a massive headache. 

Well, one thing at a time. His comm link, cleverly disguised as a hearing aid, was still in his ear. He was just waiting for the signal he knew was coming. 

He wasn’t going to lose faith when it was all he had. 

~

“What’s “phase 2”?”

“I don’t know.”

“Tess!”

“What?!”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Kennedy’s pearlescent scales shine in the moonlight, her red eyes deep and dark with anger. “Just tell me, Tess.”

Tesla sighed, pushing her messy bangs out of her face as she looked up from the duffel bags she was packing on the floor of Kennedy’s room. “Look,” she said tiredly, “I don’t actually know everything about it. I only know what I’m supposed to do and where I’m supposed to take you. Happy?”

Kennedy fell silent, realizing her sister’s rough tone meant she was scared to death. “Yeah, okay, Tess. I get it.”

“I’ll explain once we’re on the way,” Tesla promised, wrapping her thin tail around Kennedy’s wrist affectionately, “I just need to stay focused on the checklist dad gave me. Now, did you pack up all your meds and prescriptions?”

“Yeah,” Kennedy pressed a purse into Tesla’s hands. “I double checked it already.”

“Good girl. You’ve got your computer all packed up as well? All the little bells and whistles?”

“It’s in my laptop case,” Kennedy pointed shakily. She’d taken her meds for the evening, but her back and legs were starting to cramp painfully, in part due to stress, but mostly because that was how her chronic pain likes to be. She’d have a good day until she wasn’t anymore. 

“Hold on, Ken,” Tesla gripped her hand tight. “I’m almost done.” She lifted her hand to her ear. “Dad? I’m ready for extraction.” She paused, listening, nodding her head up and down, her real fur barely visible in the dark room. “Okay. Okay, I got it. Yeah. Thanks, dad. Good luck.” She turned to Kennedy. “Ursie and Uncle Tom are already at the Safe House. That’s where we’re goin. I’m supposed to drive you there.” Tesla lifted all of the bags easily onto her shoulders with a grunt and headed for the stairs. Kennedy rolled her wheelchair forward, ready to engage the hover jets. 

“Safe house?” Kennedy asked. “But what about…?”

“Carson and Selena are helping their mom commit arson,” Tesla explained. “Essentially, they’re burning their house. It’s supposed to confuse Interpol for a bit, make ‘em think they died in a fire.”

“Will they be okay?” Kennedy asked. 

“Let’s hope so,” Tesla replied gravely. “C’mon. I’ve got the van warmed up for ya.”

~

Carson and Selena watched from the street as their mother went around the house, dousing it in gasoline. Selena held onto her plush moth that she’d had since she was little, rubbing her fingers along the velveteen edges of the wings. 

“One creature of the night deserves another,” her father had said playfully, handing her the gift on her sixth birthday, two years before he would entrust her with the Thievius Raccoonus. “Happy birthday, ma petite raton.”

Now, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever see her father that happy again. 

“It doesn’t seem like a lot, does it?” Carson asked, leaning against the car door next to her and wrapping his tail around her hip. “Packing the essentials, I mean. I just grabbed my binders, my T and my hormone blockers, and my soccer cleats!” 

“I can’t believe we’ll never see this house again,” Selena mused, thinking of the journals she’d packed away in her backpack. She’d grabbed a lot of things she considered essential; her ballet shoes and the prototype she was working on, a plush raccoon keychain Kennedy had gotten her for Christmas one year, the Thievius Raccoonus itself, her favorite clothes...it didn’t seem like enough, while feeling like too much at the same time. 

“All right, my dears,” Carmelita said brusquely, place a box of matches into her children’s palms. “Light the matches and throw them at the house. Be careful!” She warned. “Don’t singe your fur. I’m going to make sure the inside burns.”

“Mom?” Selena asked hesitantly, her ears flattering against her head. 

“Yes, Selena?” Carmelita asked. 

Selena sniffled. “I’m sorry I…”

Carmelita embraces her. “We’ll talk later, okay?” She promised, running her fingers through her daughter’s short blue hair. “I love you, mi hijita,” The older fox smiled. “Nothing will change that, okay?” 

Selena sniffled. “Okay.”

Carmelita nodded, back to business. “We need to hurry. Uncle Tom is ready to call 911 anonymously for us from a pay phone.” Her tail swished as she barked out, “let’s go! Move, move, move!” 

As she dashed into the house, lighting everything she could think of on fire, she hoped Sly would be all right. 

They were burning their memories, true, but she would be fine as long as her family was safe. That was all that mattered now. 

In the blaze that was their bedroom, she noticed the glint of Sly’s cane, as of yet untouched by the fire around it. She lifted it in her hands, smiling at the way it felt there, as if it approved of her. 

She grabbed her shock pistol, affixing it to her hip, and used the cane to vault her out of the window. 

It was now or never. With Carson and Selena safely in the car, she drove like her life depended on it, as the Cooper-Fox home burned on the horizon.

~

Sly startled awake to the sound of a police radio crackling, unaware he’d even fallen asleep. 

“Residential house fire at-KIHJURGSH-requesting backup to-SSHHKIK-please respond. I repeat, all units converge on-SSHIKURGH-Street, pronto!”

The police station was alive with activity. Sly stumbled over to the bars, limping a little from the bruises on his calves and thighs. He gripped on tight to hold himself up, listening to the commotion. 

“That’s the Cooper home!” Rover growled, directing everyone out of the station. “There could be suspects in that home!”

Sly panicked as he thought of Carmelita and the twins, but then realized, as he saw the emptying police station, it must’ve been part of the plan. He let out a breath in relief. They were safe, then. 

He listened as the whirr of the cop cars and the sound of sirens faded into the distance, silence settling in once again...until he heard a familiar ticking sound…

He ducked into a crouch at just the right time as a small but powerful explosion went off, spraying debris in his direction. When he looked up, he smiled. “Bentley. Murray. Boy, am I glad to see you!” 

“Feeling’s mutual, pal,” Murray grunted, pulling away additional wreckage from the blast so he could get inside the cell. “Lemme take care of those cuffs for ya,” he said, his brute strength easily breaking through first the cuffs on his ankles and then on his arms, allowing Bentley to use a laser cutter to remove the bracelets. 

“Thanks, guys,” Sly embraces his brothers. “It’s good to see you again.” 

“Much as I’m enjoying this reunion,” Bentley pointed out, “we’d better get out of here. Someone is sure to report the explosion any minute now, and we certainly don’t want to be seen.”

“I hear ya,” Sly nodded. “You guys make your way back to the van, I’ll take to the rooftops and guide your route.”

Bentley nodded. “Be careful. I noticed you limping a bit.”

Sly nodded, smiling. “I’ll be in touch.” He pointed to his ear, and then carefully scaled a lamp post until he was on the rooftop. 

It was harder to balance without his cane, but eventually, he found his friends a way out of the city, and soon, he was rattling around in the back seat of the van just like old times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Murray’s husband is a tomcat...named Tom. I realize how bad “Uncle Tom” sounds but it was unintentional, I swear. 
> 
> Bentley had at least a dozen plans and what-if scenarios in case Interpol ever found out about Sly having his memories. I’d say this was scenario 5 or 6. :)
> 
> When I imagine this scene in my head, I always set it to Taylor Swift’s “Exile,” even though that’s not what “Exile” is about...but just listen to that song, and you’ll kinda get The Vibe(Tm). 
> 
> I changed the appearance of Tesla and Kennedy a bit because I wanted to. So Kennedy is albino, but pearlescent albino. She sparkle. And Tesla is more of a teal-ish green with blonde hair. We love that for her, honestly.


	2. Chapter 2

Carmelita was wearing a hole in the rug, pacing back and forth, while Tom tried to read a book, nervously checking his watch every so often. The teens were silent, holding hands and waiting for the inevitable. 

A pair of headlights cut through the darkness, and everyone waited with baited breath. There was the sound of an alarm deactivation, and then the door handle turned.

“Sly!” Carmelita ran over to her partner, embracing him, her eyes filling with tears. “Oh, cariño, what have they done to you? You’re bleeding!”

“Dad!” The twins jumped up, running over to embrace their father as well.

For a moment, Sly’s bronze eyes were only for Carmelita, a trembling hand resting against her cheek. “I’m fine, ma chérie, it’s only a few bruises.” He winced, swishing his tail for balance as the twins barreled into him. “Easy, you two,” he chuckled warmly, resting a hand over each of them. “You aren’t kits anymore.”

“Pop,” Ursie sat up, her dark eyes watching Murray. “Did everything go okay?” She stood as he crossed the room and sat down next to her dad as Murray fell into the couch, embracing Tom tightly.

“You came back,” Tom murmured. “I was so scared you wouldn’t come back.”

Ursie leaned on her dad’s shoulder, mustering up a smile for her pop. Murray took her hand and squeezed it tight.

“Where’s dad?” Kennedy asked a little too loud. Tess tried to shush her, but Sly looked up. 

“Bentley said he wanted to check the perimeter,” the older raccoon explained, his eyes flitting around the room to count heads. “After that, we should go dark. No lights until morning. We have a generator keeping this place going, but we might need to shut it off.”

Finally, Bentley came in the door. He looked weary in a way he hadn’t looked for years.

“Dad,” Tesla breathed, relieved.

Bentley smiled at his daughters, wheeling over so Kennedy could hug him. “We should get food going for the kids,” he said. “Murray, think you’re up for it.”

“Yeah,” Murray nodded. “It’ll help keep my hands busy.”

“Good.” Bentley glanced around at the others. “We’ll reconvene in half an hour. I have a few ideas for what our next move should be.”

As the others dispersed, Selena stuck close to her dad. “Um...hey, can I...tell ya something?”

Sly glanced at Carmelita, who nodded, hugging Carson to her side. He looked down at his daughter, noticing she was hugging her moth plush tight. A sure sign of anxiety if he’d ever seen it. “Sure, petite-moi,” he ruffled her hair, making her giggle. “Let me hose down first, and then you can practice your first aid.”

Selena nodded, smiling shyly. “Okay.”

“Atta girl.” Sly pushed himself off the wall with a grunt and slowly made his way to the half-bath on the first floor.

“You oughta go to bed after you’re finished,” Carmelita told her daughter, resting a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve had a long day, mi hijito.”

Carson embraced his sister warmly, and Selena hugged him back, her breath hitching over a sob. She didn’t wanna cry in front of her dad, not when he already had so much on his plate, but she was exhausted, and the weight of her guilt was like an anvil in her stomach.

She barely registered Tesla and Ursula’s words of wisdom, or Kennedy’s hug. Once she was alone, she went to find the first aid kit in the upstairs bathroom and brought it back downstairs. She thanked her cat’s paw feet as she slid into the kitchen to steal one of the chairs, setting it up by one of the lamps in the corner of the room, so she could see what she was doing. By the time she’d brought a two basins of water, one soapy and one slean, Sly had sat down in the chair, wrapped in a soft robe that looked a half-size too big for him and was slightly too short.

“Your mom’s,” Sly explained, chuckling at Selena’s hesitance. “Funny. I always think I’m prepared for boltholes. I always forget a robe and slippers!”

Selena bit her lip, barely smiling at her dad’s jokes. Sly noticed immediately and leaned forward, wincing as it pulled at a sore muscle in his lower back. “Petite,” he said softly, “what’s the matter?”

Selena crossed the room, standing in front of him, trembling as if she was in trouble. Her dad had never raised his voice at either of them, but he could be stern when he needed to be. She was so sure she was going to get it this time. “Dad…” she began, trying to breath evenly to keep from crying, “it’s...it’s all my fault.” She looked down at her feet, seeing her vision blur before her eyes. “And now you and mom and Uncle Bentley and Murray and Ken and Tess and Carson and Ursie aren’t safe anymore…” She hiccuped over a sob. “It’s my fault!” 

“Shh, shh,” her father’s strong arms embraced her, as he pulled her close to his chest. He smelled like soap and pine needles; familiarity. It grounded her, and Selena was able to embrace him back. “Pauvre petite,” he murmured, running his fingers through her hair.

Sly was distressed by Selena’s tears. His daughter had never been a crier, and the few times she’d been brought to tears over the years had rarely been distress. She smelled like soot and fire and he wanted to protect her from everything. He remembered the first time he’d ever held her, looking into her eyes and thinking that he’d never let anything bad ever happen to her. If he could make her feel better, if he could help them all get through this difficult situation, then he would, or he’d die trying.

Once Selena was calm, he gently pushed her hair back from her face, smiling warmly. “Tell me what’s got you so upset, petite-moi.”

Selena curled her striped tail around her body. “It’s my fault,” she said, her voice raspy from crying. “It’s my fault Inspector Rover found out about you.”

Sly froze as if he’d been dunked in ice, remembering the interview. 

“Does your daughter have the Thievius Raccoonus?” Rover barked in his head.

“How?” Sly breathed. He knew Selena wouldn’t have let it slip on purpose; all the kids knew how important the secret was. They’d all been keeping it since they were small.

“My journal.” Selena explained, still looking at her feet and fidgeting. “Bruce Rover found me in the library the other day...he wanted to ask me out, but I said no.” She wrinkled her nose and Sly chuckled despite himself. He’d hoped his daughter would have better taste than a police dog. “I must've left my journal there, cause he gave it back to me the next day, but I think he read it.” Selena turned away. “I’m sorry, dad...I shouldn’t have been writing for the Thievius Raccoonus in there.”

“Selena,” Sly placed his hands on his daughter’s shoulders. “Listen to me, okay? It’s not your fault. You’re not obligated to go out with someone just cause they like you. What Bruce did in looking through your private journal, that’s incredibly dishonest, and he should be ashamed of himself. And that’s rich, coming from a thief!”

Selena giggled, and Sly felt a weight fall off his back. 

“Don’t blame yourself,” the older raccoon went on, “okay? It was bound to happen sooner or later. I couldn’t keep the charade up forever.”

Selena sniffled, nodding. “Okay. Thanks, dad.”

“Of course, ma petite,” Sly kissed her forehead. “Now, why don’t you check me for a concussion and get me a salt rinse for my lip? My wrist could probably use some bandages, too.”

Selena grinned. “Can do!” She swished her tail proudly, bounding off to the kitchen.

Sly collapsed into his chair, sighing deeply. He wondered vaguely if he’d been so full of energy at her age. Truly, youth was wasted on the young!

~

There wasn’t a lot of food stored at this Safe House, but Murray had done an excellent job with what was available. Split pea soup and toasted ham and cheese sandwiches were passed among the adults and children alike. (“Technically,” Bentley had said, “they’re young adults.” Tom had said, “I know. Isn’t it scary? We’re considered old!”) Carmelita and Tom had made sure the kids were all in bed with their food, and then returned to the main room.

“Going dark,” Murray said, turning off the lights.

“Thank you, dark,” Sly and Bentley chorused, chuckling to themselves. 

Luckily, Sly didn’t have a concussion. Selena had wrapped his wrists and helped disinfect the cut on his lip. Sly was currently in the process of wrapping his ankles. Sleep was really what he needed right now, but food would be a good start once he was finished.

“I’ll do that,” Carmelta offered, seeing Sly contorting himself oddly to try and wrap his wounds without straining his muscles. “You eat.”

“Sure you wanna be seen kneeling for me, chérie?” Sly teased.

Carmelita smacked him. “Keep talking like that, and this’ll be the last time for a year.”

“Ahem,” Bentley said, drawing attention to his projector. “We’ve got a couple safe houses we can drive to within a few days. The problem is, I haven’t been to any of these in at least ten years,” He used a digital pen to circle several locations of a map of France. “This is our closest one, but I don’t think we want to hole up there.”

“I agree,” Sly said around a mouthful of sandwich. “We need to get outta France as soon as possible.”

Bentley nodded. “I’m thinking we head for the beach house on the Italian coast we bought last year. It’ll be cold this time of year, so I doubt we’ll see any tourists.”

“Tom and I went there with Ursie last summer,” Murray said. “I made sure to stock up on gas and food, at least, so we should be good for a few months.”

“Besides, I think the sea air could be refreshing,” Tom said. “It seems like you guys could use a vacation.”

“Always,” Sly chuckled, wincing as Carmelita touched a sensitive bruise while she worked.

“Then it sounds like we have our destination,” Bentley said, snapping his pointer closed. “Tomorrow, we head for the coast!”

~

Carmelita watched as Sly gingerly got into bed, shifting around uneasily. “You okay, ringtail?” She asked, concerned.

“Yeah, back’s just a bit tender, that’s all,” Sly explained, shifting to lie on his side and frowning when that didn’t seem to help. “It’s an old box spring mattress, so it’s very lumpy.”

Carmelita whimpered in sympathy, slipping out of her clothes and putting on a tank top and shorts on instead. Sly had just his boxers on, but she wanted to be clothed in a house full of boys, just in case. She didn’t think anything would happen...but old habits die hard. “Sleep on me, cariño. It’ll be softer than the bed, I think.”

“You sure?” Sly twitched his tail with interest. “I mean, I don’t wanna…”

“It’s either that, or neither of us will get any sleep,” Carmelita pointed out. “You’ll toss and turn all night.” She climbed into bed, lying flat on her back. She was used to old box springs, though she suspected Sly’s complaints were based on several sensitive injuries and not from being spoiled. “Here. Lie down.”

Sly carefully straddled her hips, his knobby knees on either side of her plush thighs. This might’ve been suggestive, even sexy, except that Sly was clearly exhausted, and his damp fur couldn’t hide how bony he was. 

“Necio cariño,” Carmelita cooed, tenderly sliding her hand up her partner’s side, shocked to feel the faint outline of ribs beneath his fur. “Have you been eating?”

Sly took her hand away from his side, pressing his lips to her pulse point. “I...got carried away with the spring cleaning this week,” he confessed. “Most nights, I’ve only had dinner. And then today...well, they’re not going to bother feeding a criminal in custody, are they?”

Carmelita’s chocolate eyes flashed like fire with a spark of anger. “I’m going to kill Rover myself for what he did to you.”

“Ma chérie, he didn’t make me hyperfixate on laundry!” Sly giggled, leaning down to kiss her. “Relax, ma flamme...I ate well tonight. Murray’s cooking has always been good for my appetite.”

Carmelita rolled her eyes, kissing him back. “Good. I swear, you’d waste away to nothing without someone looking after you.”

Sly yawned hugely, stretching gingerly. “Mm, maybe I should look into getting a babysitter.”

Carmelita swatted at him. “Malo cariño,” she snorted. 

Sly shifted, lying down on top of her, his cheek against her breast. “Mmm...maybe, but you love me.” He grinned up at her cheekily.

“I do, for my sins,” Carmelita groaned, pulling the covers up over them both. She felt safe with Sly’s weight blanketing her; it was a good reminder that he was here, alive. They’d made it out of another scrape together.

“You and the twins all smelled like fire,” Sly said after a moment. “What happened?”

Carmelita stared up at the ceiling, tracing patterns between Sly’s shoulder blades. “I gave the kids matches to light and throw at the house from a distance,” she explained, her voice quiet. “I went in to make sure everything was burning and doused in gasoline. I grabbed your cane and my shock pistol and then drove like mad to get out here.”

“Thank you,” Sly said quietly. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s important to you,” Carmelita said. “That makes it important to me.”

Sly nuzzled her. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Carmelita replied, pressing kisses into his hair. “Sleep now. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“I hope so,” Sly murmured sleepily. “I’d hate for this to be just a dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In college, my theatre group would always do the “going dark” “thank you, dark” call and response whenever lighting had to shut off lights in rehearsal. I just wanted to reference it here. Hehe 
> 
> Lots of cute lil pet names in this!
> 
> Sly calls Carmelita "ma cherie" (my dear) and "ma flamme" (my flame/fire) and his daughter "ma petite raton" (my little rat/raccoon kit) and "petite-moi" (little me/mini me).
> 
> Carmelita calls Sly "carino" (sweetheart) with variations like "necio" (poor) and "malo" (bad). She calls her daughter “mi hijita” (daughter).
> 
> Sly's native tongue is French, as is Bentley's and Murray's. Carmelita's native tongue is Spanish. Since they all live in France, they speak French to each other, and English in mixed company. (I got this idea from elinadsy here on AO3)
> 
> Poor Selena. It's not your fault some jerk wanted revenge on you because you wouldn't fuck him. 
> 
> But what happens now? The Cooper Gang is on the run again!

**Author's Note:**

> Murray’s husband is a tomcat...named Tom. I realize how bad “Uncle Tom” sounds but it was unintentional, I swear. 
> 
> Bentley had at least a dozen plans and what-if scenarios in case Interpol ever found out about Sly having his memories. I’d say this was scenario 5 or 6. :)
> 
> When I imagine this scene in my head, I always set it to Taylor Swift’s “Exile,” even though that’s not what “Exile” is about...but just listen to that song, and you’ll kinda get The Vibe(Tm). 
> 
> I changed the appearance of Tesla and Kennedy a bit because I wanted to. So Kennedy is albino, but pearlescent albino. She sparkle. And Tesla is more of a teal-ish green with blonde hair. We love that for her, honestly.


End file.
